1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Life audio. 2 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,719 Speaker 2: Maybe you feel like you are in the middle of 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,159 Speaker 2: the pit, you are stuck in the middle of the 4 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 2: mess of your life. But I want to encourage you, 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 2: and so does my guest, with this truth that God 6 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:24,120 Speaker 2: won't leave you there. Let's dive into it. Hello, Hello, Hello, 7 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 2: ladies and gents, and welcome to this week's episode of 8 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 2: The Bottom Beloved Podcast. As always, it's a girl Kirby 9 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 2: Kelly back at it again, and I'm really excited to 10 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 2: dive into the theme the topic of today's video. I 11 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 2: have Rachel Ruth Lotts right joining me, and I'm so 12 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 2: excited because she co wrote a book with Anne Graham 13 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 2: lots called God Won't Leave You There. And I feel 14 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:51,479 Speaker 2: like this is such a perfect book for this season because, 15 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 2: as you all know, a couple months back, I came 16 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 2: out with my book All about hope, suffering, making sense 17 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 2: of all of those things, and I feel like this 18 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 2: book expounds on just one story that I touch on 19 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 2: in my book, the story of Joseph, but they wrote 20 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 2: like a whole book that helps us to understand God's 21 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 2: God's purposes in places where it doesn't make sense, how 22 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 2: God meets us in the middle of suffering, and pain 23 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 2: and really just the will of God and seeing that 24 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 2: unfold not only in the life of Joseph, relating that 25 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,040 Speaker 2: to Jesus, also seeing how that can relate to us. 26 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:29,759 Speaker 2: I'm just excited about the whole topic of this book 27 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:32,120 Speaker 2: and I'm thankful that she's here today and we're going 28 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 2: to be diving into that. But before we get to that, Rachel, 29 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 2: thanks for being on the podcast. Can you just let 30 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,040 Speaker 2: everyone know a little bit about who you are, what 31 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:43,839 Speaker 2: you do, and what you're passionate about. 32 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, thank you so much, Kirby for having me. And 33 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: I I just love the Lord, I love Jesus, and 34 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 1: so I feel like I'm the one in my family 35 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: that probably wasn't the one picked to do ministry, but 36 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 1: because I just have so many weaknesses, ad D whatever. 37 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: But but God, just in his sovereignty has just taken 38 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: over my weaknesses. And so I teach out online Bible 39 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: study that goes out to We have seventeen thousand on 40 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 1: that Bible study. And then I've written these books with 41 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: my mom three this will be the third book that's 42 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,959 Speaker 1: coming out that we've done. And I speak, you know, 43 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 1: around the country, and but I just I do it 44 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 1: because I feel so compelled because I do love Jesus, 45 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 1: I love God's word, and I have a heart for people, 46 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: and I just I just want to do what I 47 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: can to help them understand the Bible in a practical way. 48 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: I'm very visual, so I read the Bible and I 49 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: picture it and then I just try and explain it 50 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: how I see it. And so I feel like that's 51 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: kind of my calling. 52 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 2: I love that. And even the fact that you're saying, like, yeah, 53 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 2: I have all these weaknesses, I don't know if I 54 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 2: am the one considered for ministry. It's like when I 55 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:03,920 Speaker 2: read the Bible and actually like read it for what 56 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 2: it is, and I see all of these men and 57 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 2: women that God used to do incredible influential things. I mean, 58 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:15,239 Speaker 2: they were human, just like us, And so I think 59 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 2: it's beautiful that even in those areas where I know 60 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 2: I have weaknesses, I know I have faults and failures. 61 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 2: I know the people listening probably feel the same way. 62 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 2: Where it's like, could God ever use me like or 63 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 2: could God ever use this situation for something good? The 64 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 2: answer is yes, because He is good, and it is 65 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 2: him who uses us when we become these willing vessels 66 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 2: for his grace for his glory. So I think that's beautiful, 67 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 2: that that's proof in your own life, and even tying 68 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 2: it back to what we're talking about today, that's proof 69 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 2: even in the story of Joseph, which I think is 70 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 2: just literally so on theme for today. But to start 71 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 2: us off, what first drew you personally to Joseph's story 72 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 2: as the framework for this book that you and your 73 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 2: mom wrote together, Like, why do you think his story 74 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 2: was the one that you all wanted to touch on, 75 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 2: and why do you also think it just resonates with 76 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 2: so many people? 77 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 1: Well, I teach this Bible study online and I taught 78 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 1: through the Book of Genesis got to the story of Joseph, 79 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 1: and as I was going through it, I was just like, oh, 80 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 1: and I knew the story of Joseph, but when you 81 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:24,320 Speaker 1: really break it down and you're going verse by verse 82 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: and drawing lessons at getting lessons out of it and everything, 83 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: it just spoke so much to me. And I've been 84 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 1: through I've had a lot of suffering in my life, 85 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: and so to see somebody like Joseph in the way 86 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 1: he handled the suffering blew me away, and I knew 87 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 1: I wanted to write this book and it's really neat 88 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,599 Speaker 1: because I told my mom. I told her, I was like, 89 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 1: I've just got to do this book on Joseph, and 90 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:53,359 Speaker 1: she said that my grandfather, who doctor Billy Graham, he 91 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: told my mom for years, he was like, I want 92 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:59,039 Speaker 1: you to write a book on Joseph, and my mom 93 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:02,040 Speaker 1: never did so then when I came to about this 94 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:04,840 Speaker 1: and then she was like, well, let's do it, and 95 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 1: and so that's kind of where it came from. But 96 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: I don't think I could have written it at any 97 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: other point in my life until now because of so 98 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 1: many of the things that I've been through. I felt 99 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: like added to my understanding of Joseph. So so I 100 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: love it. Yeah. 101 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 2: Well, the thing I love about the title even of 102 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 2: your book, God won't leave you there. I think a 103 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 2: lot of people have a place that is there for them, 104 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 2: whether it's like right here, right now today, or even 105 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 2: past situations where it's like where was God in these places? 106 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:41,720 Speaker 2: So I'm wondering, like, even to what you're saying, how 107 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 2: there were all these situations for you of suffering, what 108 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 2: did there look like for you of you know, God 109 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 2: didn't leave you there in this place that that made 110 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 2: its way into the book as as a point of inspiration. 111 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, I mean there's it's like which one do 112 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: I choose? There's been so many hard things, but but 113 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 1: I guess the most dramatic one, and my wife was 114 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 1: four years ago. I had gone in for this routine 115 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 1: stress test. You know, I had a little bit of 116 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,160 Speaker 1: a heart issue. It wasn't in any big deal at all, 117 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:18,159 Speaker 1: but the stress test went really, really bad. It was 118 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 1: not a good situation, and I ended up having walked 119 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 1: out with test pain. I was like, what's going on. 120 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:25,280 Speaker 1: I think I pulled some muscle. You know, it's where 121 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: you run on the treadmill and and do all that 122 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:32,040 Speaker 1: and and I won't go into all the details, but 123 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 1: but I kept passing out after that and and had 124 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 1: chest pain for four days. And anyhow, I was at 125 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:41,280 Speaker 1: the on the front row of a UNC basketball game 126 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 1: and I was like, I think I'm having an art attack. 127 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: And I did want to call I didn't want to 128 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 1: call the ambulance to the front read of the basketball game, 129 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 1: so I waited till after the game and called the doctor. 130 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 1: I know that was so bad, but I called the 131 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 1: doctor and he was like calling the ambulance, and so 132 00:06:57,040 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 1: I went in and ended up I was having this 133 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:04,159 Speaker 1: rare heart attack called SKED spontaneous coronary artery dissection, and 134 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:07,720 Speaker 1: that happens when you're in high stress or high physical exercise, 135 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: you know, stuff like that. And I had both and 136 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: and so anyhow, I was in so much pain and 137 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: then I ended up having a second one while I 138 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:18,240 Speaker 1: was in the heart attack in the hospital. I had 139 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 1: a second heart attack, scat heart attack. And that one 140 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 1: I should not have survived. There is no possible reason 141 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: except that God saved my life. And it was super 142 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 1: dramatic and was dying and God just brought me back 143 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: and and so but it left me for three years 144 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 1: after that in pain, and they say it can happen again. 145 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: And so so I was there, that was my there. 146 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 1: I was just like, am I gonna stay here? Am 147 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 1: I ever gonna get out of this pain? This PTSD, 148 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 1: you know, the panic attacks of just ah, it just 149 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 1: this constant, severe pain in my heart. And because it's 150 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: your heart, your your inside of your heart, arteries were 151 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: they shredded. And so saw that scar tissue and the 152 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: pain and they put all these big stints in my 153 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:08,239 Speaker 1: heart and so it was tough. And so God brought 154 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 1: me through battle after battle. Am I going to trust 155 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 1: him or not? And he gave me promises like right 156 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 1: off the bat, within that first month after the heart attacks, 157 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: that he would not have me go that way again. 158 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 1: I knew he was telling me I was not going 159 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: to have another scath heart attack, but was I going 160 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 1: to believe in me now? And so that was my 161 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: big there, you know, is God going to get me 162 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 1: out of this? And will God just leave me there? 163 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 1: And he has brought me through. I don't have any 164 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: more heart pain. But it's just been quite a journey 165 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,839 Speaker 1: of just trusting and he allowed it in my life. 166 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,320 Speaker 1: It wasn't just some whim. He allowed it in my 167 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 1: life to build my trust in him and and and 168 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: he is trustworthy. So that's so good. I think. 169 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 2: I think the key word there is that God allowed 170 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 2: this to happen. And that's one of those things that 171 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 2: I think a lot of people him with that word 172 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:05,320 Speaker 2: of of well, why would God allow these things to 173 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 2: happen to me? Like if He is is so good 174 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 2: and so sovereign and all these things that I read about, 175 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 2: you know, kind compassionate with his character, why would God 176 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 2: allow what some people would even equate with their own 177 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 2: situations or I think of Joseph's right, like this this 178 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 2: unjust suffering where it's like, well, why did this thing happen? 179 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 2: I I It's not like I'm some crazy criminal doing 180 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:32,679 Speaker 2: all these things, and it's like this justified thing. And 181 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 2: that's something that a lot of people struggle with. So 182 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 2: I'm wondering why, in your opinion, and even through like 183 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 2: what you unpack in the book, why do you think 184 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 2: God so often uses suffering as a part of the 185 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 2: process instead of just bypassing it, Because to your point, 186 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 2: he used it for something in your life, and he 187 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 2: uses it for something. 188 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:58,960 Speaker 1: Yes, ah, I mean it's just like waw, it's so 189 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:05,839 Speaker 1: it's so through because Joseph was just this normal, obedient, 190 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:09,719 Speaker 1: seventeen year old boy and just had everything going for him. 191 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 1: He's basically the son of a wealthy man, almost like 192 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: a king in cana and then he would be like 193 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 1: a prince. I mean, he just had so much going 194 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 1: for him, and in one day, guy changed his life. 195 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 1: One day everything turned upside down. When his brothers were jealous. 196 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 1: They throw him into a pit and they sell him 197 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 1: in a slavery and I just imagine what it was 198 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 1: like when he was sitting in that pit, just thinking, okay, okay, 199 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, you just get me out, and what's the problem, 200 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:37,320 Speaker 1: you know, hoping and begging his brothers to pull him 201 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 1: out of that pit, and they didn't. When they finally did, 202 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:42,080 Speaker 1: they sell him in a slavery and he goes to Egypt, 203 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 1: and you know, the whole time, he's looking behind his shoulder, 204 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: are they coming for me? Are they coming for me? 205 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:49,559 Speaker 1: And they never did. And he gets to Egypt, he's 206 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: sold into slavery, and I mean, and then the rest 207 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: is history. I mean, he just goes through years and 208 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: years of suffering, almost fourteen years in suffering, and he 209 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 1: could have and like, why I was so obedient? I 210 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 1: was the good son, and I had so much going 211 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 1: for me. Why And I think that's one of the 212 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: things that blew me away at my study of Joseph. 213 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 1: And I put it in the book that Joseph wasn't 214 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 1: bitter or angry. He just he just looked at his suffering. Okay, 215 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,440 Speaker 1: this is where God has me. How can I serve 216 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:23,080 Speaker 1: him best where I'm at? And he was in the 217 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 1: lowest position to be a slave in Potiphar's house and 218 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 1: then be thrown wrongfully in prison, and he was just like, 219 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:33,080 Speaker 1: all right, this is where I am and I'm just 220 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 1: gonna go after it. And he could have been angry 221 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: at God and said, you don't care about me, you 222 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 1: don't love it. You know, the enemy is just sitting 223 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:43,680 Speaker 1: there telling him those things, and he had to choose 224 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 1: not to believe that and to trust that God did 225 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:49,319 Speaker 1: have plans for him. And I think in the middle 226 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: of our suffering, when it is so hard and you 227 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 1: just think, am I ever going to get out of this? 228 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 1: Does God love me? Does he even hear my prayers? 229 00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 1: Why I've been serving him? And I was following I 230 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 1: going to I'm going to Bible, So why are these 231 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: things happening to me? And I think that's where we 232 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:07,440 Speaker 1: have to change our thinking and think, Okay, Lord, what 233 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:09,679 Speaker 1: is it you're wanting to teach me? Because I am 234 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 1: here to tell you that studying the life of Joseph, 235 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: everything that happens in our life is for a purpose 236 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 1: and for a plan. So and God doesn't just like 237 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 1: throw you into thing and shake you up and oh 238 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 1: let's just let all that. Oh that's that's kind of crazy. 239 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:26,200 Speaker 1: What's happened on her heart. I mean, he knows every 240 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:29,200 Speaker 1: single thing that comes into your life, it has to 241 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 1: go through him first. And so it is for a purpose, 242 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: it's for a plan, and it's for your greater purpose. 243 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 1: It's gonna bring good in your life. And so we 244 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 1: have to just trust the process and trust a plan. 245 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 1: As hard as that is, it's just a it's like 246 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 1: stepping out in a sense, like off a cliff in 247 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 1: faith and just Lord, I don't understand this, but I 248 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:54,959 Speaker 1: choose to trust you and that You're going to bring 249 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 1: good out of this and and for God's glory, and 250 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:01,360 Speaker 1: he always does that. The goal, the thing that we've 251 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 1: got to really be careful of is not turning bitter 252 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:07,320 Speaker 1: and not turning away from God in the middle of it, 253 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:08,719 Speaker 1: because that's easy to do. 254 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:12,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I bet that there are people today who 255 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:15,120 Speaker 2: are in that place where they have not only bitterness 256 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:18,800 Speaker 2: towards maybe the people who have betrayed them, or the 257 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 2: job that you know, fell through, like the way that 258 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 2: maybe they were undercut by coworkers or bosses, or I 259 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 2: mean even just like the systems in this world, Like 260 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 2: maybe they feel like they are just set up for 261 00:13:32,559 --> 00:13:35,840 Speaker 2: failure in everything that they do, and it's so easy 262 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:39,720 Speaker 2: to hold onto that bitterness and that resentment, and a 263 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 2: lot of that ends up getting projected towards God. I 264 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 2: know that even in seasons in my own life it's 265 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 2: one of those things where it's like it can be 266 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 2: so hard to rationalize and reason why is this happening 267 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 2: to me, whether it's directly or indirectly being impacted by 268 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 2: whatever the circumstance is. But what I've even found in 269 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:04,320 Speaker 2: my own life, like exactly like you were saying that 270 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:07,480 Speaker 2: we see in the story of Joseph, is I remember 271 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,440 Speaker 2: arriving to a point in my own suffering where it's 272 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 2: not just this place of woe is me, I think 273 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 2: it's completely okay. And God invites us to lament and 274 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 2: to grieve and to ask the hard questions. But at 275 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 2: the end of the day, getting to this place of okay, God, 276 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 2: I might not know why this is happening, But what 277 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 2: do you want to do now that this is the 278 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 2: reality of what's going on in my life? And what 279 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 2: I love about the story of Joseph is this final 280 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 2: culmination to you know, spoil the story if no one's 281 00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 2: ever read it before. But in Genesis fifty we get 282 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:47,520 Speaker 2: this incredible moment where he's face to face with his 283 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 2: brothers again, the very people that he would probably feel 284 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 2: the most bitterness and resentment towards, and instead of like 285 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 2: extracting this vengeance or abuse of newfound power that he 286 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 2: now has us he's elevated in in the palace is 287 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:08,200 Speaker 2: he says this statement that is just so profound of 288 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 2: you know what, you guys intended for evil against me, 289 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 2: like God intended for good. And to just have absolute 290 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:19,080 Speaker 2: confidence in that statement, not just to like say it 291 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 2: as this like really nice Christian thing where you get 292 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 2: a lot of collapse and it's a good SoundBite, but 293 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 2: to actually believe that and arrive to that conclusion. It 294 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 2: takes a lot to get there, to actually have like 295 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 2: the mindset shift and the heart shift. So maybe you 296 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 2: can even speak to that for listeners today. How do 297 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 2: we get to that place of not just accepting, well, 298 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 2: this is like my lot in life, this is how 299 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 2: it's always gonna be, but actually getting to that place 300 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 2: of believing for ourselves, man, God, like you really do 301 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 2: have have a purpose in this thing. How do we 302 00:15:56,880 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 2: move from the resentment and the bitterness and the purposelessness 303 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 2: to place of confident hope in God's plans. 304 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: I think one thing I learned just through my journey 305 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: of it really was like sheer terror, I mean, and 306 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: especially it's always worse at night time, you know, when 307 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 1: when our thoughts are there, you're just sitting there in 308 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:20,440 Speaker 1: the darkness. And all the heart pain that I was having, 309 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 1: and I even ended up getting blood clots in my lungs, 310 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 1: I had a mini stroke and I didn't have the 311 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 1: COVID shot. I mean, I don't know it just all 312 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 1: this stuff was happening to me over these past orveral years, 313 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 1: and there were times when I was just bawling my 314 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: eyes out and just asking the Lord, why what do 315 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 1: I do? Do I go to the emergency room? You 316 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 1: know again I've been. I went twelve times, and and 317 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: there was so many times when He spoke so tenderly 318 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:48,720 Speaker 1: to me. And so I think that's what we just 319 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: can't miss. In the middle of our suffering. We will 320 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:54,280 Speaker 1: get to know our suffering savior on a level that 321 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 1: a lot of people don't if they haven't suffered. And 322 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: we see Jesus in how he suffered, and he did 323 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 1: it for us, and he could have had any second said, 324 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: I mean, sent them all to help, you know, and 325 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:11,439 Speaker 1: instead he submitted to the cross and died on the 326 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 1: cross to take away our sins so that we can 327 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 1: be forgiven and have this relationship with him. So when 328 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: we suffer, one of the greater purposes is that we're 329 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 1: participating in the sufferings of Christ, as Peter talks about, 330 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: and that we can have this tender relationship with the Lord. 331 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:31,440 Speaker 1: And one thing that was so dear while I was 332 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:33,720 Speaker 1: going through all that and had the moments of lack 333 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 1: of faith and you know, not trusting and scared and 334 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 1: all that, the Lord was always tender to me in 335 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: scripture when I was doing my devotions, he was always 336 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 1: so sweet. It was never like, oh, can you just 337 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: get it? Can you just learn the lesson already? He's 338 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:53,600 Speaker 1: so tender, and he's so compassionate. And the enemy will 339 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:56,800 Speaker 1: always tempt us to be bitter. And I think if 340 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 1: we can every day just recognize, all right, and you 341 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 1: just have to like put on your bootstraps or whatever, 342 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:05,439 Speaker 1: you know, and just say, all right, yes, this is hard, 343 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:07,920 Speaker 1: but I have to trust and believe in the goodness 344 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 1: of God. The enemy wants harm for me. God wants 345 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:13,920 Speaker 1: good for me. And so we have got to follow 346 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: the Lord. And Joseph did that beautifully. He had every 347 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: reason to sabotage Potiphar's house, to sit on the ground 348 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:23,640 Speaker 1: and see, I'm not doing any of this. I am 349 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:26,840 Speaker 1: the son of a wealthy man. I am not a prisoner. 350 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 1: I'm not in a slave. I'm not gonna do what 351 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:30,560 Speaker 1: you tell me to do. But he didn't, and that 352 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:34,360 Speaker 1: is remarkable to me. And he just faithfully served God. 353 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:36,639 Speaker 1: And God did have a great plan for his life. 354 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 1: God did bring him through and he and one day, 355 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 1: just like in one day, he was thrown into a bit, 356 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 1: and one day God raised him up to second in 357 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 1: command of all of Egypt. And so he went from 358 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 1: the lowest position of just nothingness, no paycheck, nothing, to 359 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 1: the second in command of all of Egypt, where he 360 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 1: had probably a palace, he had royal clothes, he had 361 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: you know, gold goblets, and he was drinking, eating all 362 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 1: this stuff. And and not that we do it for 363 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,960 Speaker 1: material things at all, because that's not it. I'm it's 364 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:09,679 Speaker 1: but God brings about good if we just allow him to, 365 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 1: if we just continue to follow him faithfully, And so 366 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 1: just hang on, do not give up, and be encouraged 367 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:19,640 Speaker 1: that that God does bring us through. There is light 368 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 1: at the end of the tunnel, and and he will. 369 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 1: He will make your life amazingly glorifying to him if 370 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 1: you just hang on. And and so I've just I've 371 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 1: seen God do that in my life in so many 372 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 1: other situations in my life, and I've just I've just 373 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 1: got to trust Him. And that's the thing. Our life 374 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 1: is a journey. And when we get to Heaven, that's 375 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 1: when it's just going to be wonderful, where we have 376 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:49,760 Speaker 1: no more pain, no more tears, sickness, mean people, abusive people, 377 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:52,920 Speaker 1: bad memories. It's all all that's gonna be wiped away. 378 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:56,600 Speaker 1: And we're gonna have all of eternity to live with 379 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,480 Speaker 1: the best food, serve the Lord, be with each other, 380 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:03,879 Speaker 1: and courage. It's just gonna be blissed. This is a 381 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:07,080 Speaker 1: time of trial, This is a hard time to be 382 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: on earth, especially in these last days. But but I've 383 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 1: always wanted to be a warrior for the Lord. And 384 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:16,120 Speaker 1: Joseph was and and Joseph was just a man's man. 385 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: He wasn't a whimp. There are times in scripture he 386 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:21,879 Speaker 1: talks about how he cried his eyes out. But but 387 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:24,640 Speaker 1: God just tenderly brought him through and he will bring 388 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:25,200 Speaker 1: you through too. 389 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:28,439 Speaker 2: I love that, And I think like one of the 390 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 2: biggest spiritual disciplines that we see in Joseph's story is waiting. 391 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 2: Is waiting on God to move, is waiting on God 392 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:40,439 Speaker 2: to intervene, is waiting for well, you know, what's the 393 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:42,600 Speaker 2: next thing that's gonna happen, good or bad? 394 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:42,920 Speaker 1: Right? 395 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 2: It plays a huge role in Joseph's story, So I 396 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 2: think when it comes to even our own lives as Christians, especially, Uh, 397 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 2: I'm wondering, you know, in your own words, why is 398 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:57,800 Speaker 2: waiting such an important spiritual discipline even though it's something 399 00:20:57,800 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 2: that we often loathe and hate so much. We want 400 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:04,639 Speaker 2: God to act quick, But it is this discipline that 401 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:05,920 Speaker 2: really develops us. 402 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 1: Yes, it is waiting. Waiting is so hard, and like 403 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: you said, so much of life is waiting, and it stinks. 404 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 1: I mean, nobody wants to wait in traffic. You don't 405 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 1: want to wait at the doctor's office. You know, there's 406 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 1: all these things that we just have a lot of 407 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 1: waiting in our life. And in that waiting period is 408 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: a great teaching time where the Lord's teaching us patients 409 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 1: and teaching us to wait on him. If he gave 410 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:32,000 Speaker 1: us the answer right away, you know, if he fixed 411 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:33,840 Speaker 1: everything right away, then we'd be like, oh good, you know, 412 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,879 Speaker 1: and that character wouldn't be built. How many times, Like 413 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 1: if you sat down to hear a speaker and all 414 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 1: they talked about was how great they are and everything's 415 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:44,800 Speaker 1: going well and I've never suffered, I've never been sick, 416 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 1: we'd be like, get me out of here. I don't 417 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 1: want to hear a thing that they say. But when 418 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 1: somebody gets up and talks about what they've been through 419 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:54,000 Speaker 1: and how long it was, how long they had to 420 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 1: wait until God spoke to them or move to their life, 421 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:01,240 Speaker 1: that's what you want to hear. And it builds this character. 422 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 1: It builds this trust in the Lord, and God will 423 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: see you through. He doesn't ever leave you, He doesn't 424 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:10,159 Speaker 1: put you aside while you wait and then go do 425 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 1: something else. His eyes are on you. And I love 426 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 1: in the Bible where it says whoever touches God says, 427 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 1: whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye. You know, 428 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 1: if you get something in your eye, it hurts really 429 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:22,239 Speaker 1: bad and you can't do anything. You got to get 430 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: it out, you know, a piece of sand or eye laft. 431 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 1: And that's what God feels when something is happening to 432 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:31,240 Speaker 1: us when we're suffering, if it's cancer, or if it's 433 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:36,360 Speaker 1: an estrangement from your family or a mean friend. I mean, 434 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:38,879 Speaker 1: I know what that's like to have mean friends or 435 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:44,239 Speaker 1: betrayal all that, and God feels it. He knows what 436 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:47,200 Speaker 1: you're going through, and so he would never ever let 437 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 1: it go look longer than it needed to. So the 438 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 1: waiting is always for a purpose, and he ends it 439 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:56,159 Speaker 1: when he knows times up, when it's time to end 440 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:58,399 Speaker 1: it and move you on, you know, give you the answer, 441 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:02,119 Speaker 1: fix the situation, but be patient in the waiting because 442 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:06,560 Speaker 1: it's a rich time of growth in the Lord. 443 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:10,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, and how we spend our waiting seasons really does matter. 444 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 2: Like we could make the decision, for those of us 445 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:17,040 Speaker 2: who are Christians, especially, like we could make the decision 446 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 2: to sit and to feel pity for being in the pit. 447 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:23,600 Speaker 2: And I get that, and I think that there is, 448 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 2: like I said earlier, a time to lament and to 449 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,320 Speaker 2: grieve and too mourn and to really bring those those 450 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 2: genuine questions and requests to God. But if you're living 451 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:37,439 Speaker 2: in that place and choose to live in the pit perpetually. 452 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 2: That's where things can can really start to spiral downward 453 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 2: for you. I mean it can lead to not just 454 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 2: doubt in the sense of doubting God's goodness, but doubting 455 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,439 Speaker 2: your purpose, doubting the plans that He has for you, 456 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 2: really not embracing the thing that God wants to do. 457 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:57,639 Speaker 2: And I think that's where we need to move out 458 00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 2: of even while we're still in the pit, is moving 459 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 2: out of the place of feeling pity for ourself, but 460 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:06,800 Speaker 2: moving to this place of God give me perspective, like, 461 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:10,439 Speaker 2: what do you want to do here? I get that 462 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:13,520 Speaker 2: you probably never asked for it to be put in 463 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:16,160 Speaker 2: this situation, to be thrown into the pit that you've 464 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 2: been thrown into. But we do have this not only 465 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 2: I think responsibility, but we have this opportunity to actually 466 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:30,439 Speaker 2: lean into something better that God can do. And I 467 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 2: think that's just the beauty of the even whole meta 468 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:38,320 Speaker 2: narrative of the Bible is that God brings redemption and 469 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:41,240 Speaker 2: when we pursue him as much as He is pursuing us, 470 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:44,720 Speaker 2: because He's ever present, He's always constantly pursuing us. When 471 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:48,240 Speaker 2: we choose to press into him, even when it's hard, 472 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 2: and even if there might be a little bit of 473 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 2: what feels on your end, like dissension towards God because 474 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:56,680 Speaker 2: it's been uncomfortable, when you still choose to step forward 475 00:24:56,760 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 2: and pursue Him in the waiting, in the pain, in 476 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:06,199 Speaker 2: the pit, there's something good that can begin to unravel 477 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:09,440 Speaker 2: even right there, not just at the end of the story, 478 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 2: because I know I highlighted the end of Joseph's story, 479 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:14,640 Speaker 2: you know, all the way in Genesis fifty. But there 480 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:17,760 Speaker 2: is still good to be had at the very beginning 481 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:21,439 Speaker 2: of your suffering when you invite Jesus into it. And 482 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 2: I kind of want to begin to like land the 483 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:26,720 Speaker 2: plane right there here towards the end of our conversation 484 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:32,640 Speaker 2: because in the book you connect Joseph's suffering with Jesus's suffering, 485 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:36,159 Speaker 2: and I think that is so important to highlight. So 486 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 2: how does seeing Jesus in Joseph's story reshape how we 487 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 2: can understand our own suffering? Because I love the parallel 488 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:44,879 Speaker 2: that y'all bring to the book. 489 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 1: Well, Joseph suffered for a long time. Like I said, 490 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:53,200 Speaker 1: it was about fourteen years of just one thing after 491 00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:56,440 Speaker 1: another and being wrongly accused. I mean, think about Jesus, 492 00:25:56,480 --> 00:26:00,680 Speaker 1: you know, brought before the saying here in and they're 493 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:04,440 Speaker 1: wrongly accusing him, saying all these things about him. And 494 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:09,000 Speaker 1: and then Jesus suffered horrible physical pain, I mean just 495 00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 1: being beaten and whipped, had had his beard pulled out, 496 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:15,440 Speaker 1: and crown of thorns on his head, and spear in 497 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 1: his side, and nailed to the cross. I mean, it is, 498 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 1: it is so horrific. And he went all the way. 499 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:23,560 Speaker 1: He didn't give up. And and I think there is 500 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:26,320 Speaker 1: a there's a parallel. Though Joseph didn't suffer as much 501 00:26:26,359 --> 00:26:30,359 Speaker 1: as Jesus did. Joseph's was along suffering, and he kept 502 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 1: his eyes on God. He didn't waver, and and he 503 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 1: was stronger the finishing than God raised him up, you know, 504 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 1: like we said, to this incredible position. But Jesus, he 505 00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 1: knows what it's like to be betrayed by the people 506 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:48,200 Speaker 1: that he created. I mean, they all betrayed him, and 507 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:50,920 Speaker 1: they all were mean to him. They turned on him, 508 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:56,159 Speaker 1: they wrongly accused him, they hurt him, and and because 509 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:58,359 Speaker 1: of Jesus's great love for us, he went all the 510 00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 1: way to the cross. And when he on the cross 511 00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:03,120 Speaker 1: to take away or since he didn't die and stay 512 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:05,800 Speaker 1: in the grave, he's alive and he rose from the 513 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 1: dead and he's reigning in heaven. You talk about Joseph 514 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 1: being second in command. Now Jesus and is command of 515 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:16,399 Speaker 1: all the university's there and loves us. And so it 516 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:18,880 Speaker 1: is a beautiful parallel. And your life can be too. 517 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 1: And when you suffer, your suffering is for a greater purpose. 518 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:27,199 Speaker 1: And to know Jesus is to know that he loves 519 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:30,000 Speaker 1: you and he does have a plan for your life. 520 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,879 Speaker 1: He's going to walk you through comfort you in those times. 521 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:35,080 Speaker 1: If everything was going great, we wouldn't we would not 522 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 1: turn to God. We would just be out with our 523 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:39,720 Speaker 1: friends and doing stuff and never mind. But it's when 524 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 1: hard things come, that's when we cry out to God 525 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 1: and we're like, Lord, where are you? And then God 526 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:46,639 Speaker 1: just swoops in and says he's near to the broken hearted, 527 00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 1: and he comes in and he encourages us and helps us. 528 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:53,679 Speaker 1: And so so turn to the Lord. He is our 529 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:56,800 Speaker 1: suffering savior. He is the spotless lamb of God that 530 00:27:56,880 --> 00:28:00,600 Speaker 1: came to take away our sins, and he loves you 531 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:03,520 Speaker 1: and will bring you through for his glory and for 532 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:08,000 Speaker 1: your good. And so don't let the enemy trick you 533 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:11,600 Speaker 1: into bitterness. Don't let don't don't turn to all those 534 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:14,040 Speaker 1: little voices that are trying to pull you a You 535 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 1: have to recognize that that is the enemy doing putting 536 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:20,439 Speaker 1: those thoughts in your head. And you choose to turn 537 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 1: and turn to the Lord and say, I don't understand this, 538 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:25,439 Speaker 1: I don't want to be here, but I'm gonna trust 539 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:27,439 Speaker 1: you through it. And then just stay in your Bible, 540 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:32,680 Speaker 1: keep reading, get encouragement from him through his word, and pray. 541 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:35,440 Speaker 1: You know. Jeremiah is another great example of somebody who 542 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:39,680 Speaker 1: was He was taken out of prison and then he 543 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 1: was finally gets out and then they seize him again 544 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 1: and they throw him in this pit and he almost 545 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 1: drowns in the mud. It comes up and lamentations talks 546 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 1: about it where he is just so upset, you know, 547 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:54,560 Speaker 1: and crying out to the Lord. And then the Lord says, 548 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 1: came near and pulled him out. And that encouraged me 549 00:28:56,760 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 1: through the heart attacks. And so God knows when to 550 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:04,240 Speaker 1: rescue you at just the right moment. But but don't 551 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:06,320 Speaker 1: give up on him. Just wait and see what He's 552 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 1: going to do in your life, and keep your focus 553 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 1: on Him, not on yourself, and see what He'll do. 554 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:12,880 Speaker 1: That's awesome. 555 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 2: I love that that final encouragement. I love even those 556 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 2: practical steps even of just continue to like abide in 557 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:22,320 Speaker 2: me right, continue to stay connected to Christ, get in 558 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 2: the Word. And the beautiful thing about the Bible is 559 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 2: that as much as it is God revealing his nature 560 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:32,400 Speaker 2: to us through his written word, we're able to find 561 00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:36,160 Speaker 2: so much relatability in that, a lot of comfort and solace. 562 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 2: Like you said, with reading Jeremiah the Weeping Prophet, but 563 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:42,680 Speaker 2: I add that, like that's it's not the person who 564 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:45,440 Speaker 2: had the best life ever, but it's like, literally, this 565 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:47,959 Speaker 2: person who spoke on behalf of God, who was in 566 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:53,440 Speaker 2: continual suffering, but God still used him, and what through 567 00:29:53,480 --> 00:29:56,600 Speaker 2: the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we're still able to 568 00:29:56,640 --> 00:29:59,480 Speaker 2: relate to that today and find comfort and solace and 569 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:03,440 Speaker 2: intimacy with God even through that place. So there's there's 570 00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 2: just so much beauty that comes from being tethered to 571 00:30:07,360 --> 00:30:11,160 Speaker 2: God and pursuing him reading his word, especially in seasons 572 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:14,600 Speaker 2: of waiting and situations that just don't make sense. That 573 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 2: God eventually works all things out for good, even if 574 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:20,120 Speaker 2: it doesn't look like what we expected, or prayed for, 575 00:30:20,320 --> 00:30:23,680 Speaker 2: or imagined for our life. But what God has for 576 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:26,040 Speaker 2: us is so much better, even with the twists and 577 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 2: turns that life does throw our way. And so I 578 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:32,440 Speaker 2: love that Joseph's story reveals that, that Jesus is Life 579 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:35,400 Speaker 2: reveals that, and that your book really takes time to 580 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:38,760 Speaker 2: dive into that. So the book is out now, Where 581 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 2: can people get it? Where can people get a copy 582 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:41,640 Speaker 2: of it? 583 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:45,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, just wherever books are sold Amazon, Barnes and Noble, 584 00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:50,640 Speaker 1: christianbook dot Com, Faithgateway dot com, all those different I 585 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:54,800 Speaker 1: think those places are selling them. So so yeah, love 586 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:57,480 Speaker 1: for you to grab it and pray that that it's 587 00:30:57,520 --> 00:30:58,360 Speaker 1: life changing for you. 588 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:01,760 Speaker 2: Yes. So, if you guys liked this conversation and you 589 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:04,000 Speaker 2: loved what we talked about today, you can get your 590 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:07,800 Speaker 2: copy of God Won't Leave You There. It's Joseph's story 591 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:09,960 Speaker 2: and it is by again my friend who joined me 592 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:13,720 Speaker 2: here today, Rachel Ruth Lot's right and and Graham Lots. 593 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 2: I love it so good. Thank you again Rachel for 594 00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:20,160 Speaker 2: being here, for sharing your story, for being faithful to 595 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:24,400 Speaker 2: write this book. And then to everyone who tuned in today, 596 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:27,640 Speaker 2: thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, or 597 00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:31,480 Speaker 2: if you know anybody who would be encouraged by this message. 598 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:34,280 Speaker 2: Maybe they're in the middle of their own pit, maybe 599 00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 2: they're feeling resentment and bitterness towards God today, or maybe 600 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:41,600 Speaker 2: they're just needing some guidance to navigate a really tough 601 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:45,400 Speaker 2: situation and need that hope. This is another great resource, 602 00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:47,760 Speaker 2: another great book that you can recommend to your friends, 603 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:50,760 Speaker 2: and I'll link it down below. But I love you, guys, 604 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 2: and I will see you here next week for another 605 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:55,640 Speaker 2: episode on the Bottom Beloved podcast. Until then, don't give 606 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:57,720 Speaker 2: up hope and remember that God won't leave you there. 607 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:02,400 Speaker 2: I'll see you next week. For more life giving, faith 608 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 2: based podcasts just like this one. Check out lifeaudio dot com, 609 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:09,000 Speaker 2: a proud partner of the Bottonbeloved podcast.